Karen Capalaran

Karen Daus Capalaran
November 22, 1985 - January 28, 2023

It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we write this obituary to announce that our daughter, sister, cousin, and friend, Karen Daus Capalaran transitioned on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at 7:44 AM in Anaheim, CA. She was surrounded by her family who she loved dearly.

Karen Daus Capalaran was born on November 22, 1985, at the Pacific Hospital in Long Beach, CA to Vicfilamer and Eduardo Capalaran. She has one older brother, Kenneth Capalaran, and five cats, Kelly, Kiwi, Lulu, Maui, and Katniss.

Raised in eastside Long Beach, Karen attended Robert E. Lee Elementary School and in 1990 moved with her family to Buena Park, completing her elementary years at Dysinger. She continued to Brookhurst Junior High School, then to Savannah High School in Anaheim where she graduated in 2003. Karen was very active in so many ways as she played the saxophone, trumpet, and baritone for the high school band played for the girl's basketball team and was on the swim team.

Becoming a healer. Inspired by her Apong Celing who was a hilot and her mom and aunties who are nurses, Karen attended Long Beach City College and Cypress College and graduated from Angeles Institute in 2008 as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She was a dedicated and empathetic nurse who cared for her patients and worked well with her colleagues. She began her work in the medical field as a medical receptionist at Optum/Healthcare Partners. She served patients by greeting them with her infectious smile and diligently worked with them to get the support services they needed. She then moved on to Mollen Immunization Clinics as an LPN to garner experience in administering immunizations, vaccinations, and screenings to adults and children. She returned to Optum/HealthCare Partners as an LPN where she provided patient education, coordinated patient care and services, and focused on positive patient outcomes by collaborating with colleagues. She loved every minute of being a nurse and this was her way of serving a community of people who needed so much care. Karen loved being a nurse and was proud of the experiences, cherishing the people she met along the way.

She was a vibe. Karen not only worked hard but she played hard. Karen was not afraid to try different things and no matter what she touched, she was amazing at it. Karen picked up many instruments along the way. In addition to the saxophone, trumpet, and baritone, she taught herself how to play the ukulele, electric guitar, and drums. Her love for music was expansive. She loved to listen to alternative, punk, rock, R&B, pop, country, and hip hop. Not only did she embody music through instruments, but she interpreted music through dance. Karen attended and taught dance classes, and participated in hip hop dance competitions. Karen's style was so smooth and effortless. She was inspired by streetwear fashion and she would rock the freshest sneakers and flyest jackets, topping it off with a hat or a beanie. A simple Tee, and some comfortable pants or shorts, mixed in with all her accessories—Karen was a vibe.

Catch flights, not feelings. Karen was curious about the world around her. She wanted to try everything at least once. From biking to skateboarding, rollerblading, snowboarding, tennis, baseball, basketball, camping, and kayaking, she traveled all over the world, experienced new food, and met so many people. Karen could make friends anywhere she went. One particular experience changed her life in 2013 when Karen tried bouldering and accidentally fell and tore her ACL. While recovering from this injury, she remembered her love for photography, and like with everything else she did, she taught herself. She stumbled upon a site on YouTube called SLR Lounge and learned from them. She wanted to dive in and learn how to become someone who can capture moments with a camera. Karen gained photography and videography experience with Lin & Jirsa Photography, Baller Status, The Render Network, MVMT Watches, Foodbeast, and The 5th Element Magazine. Karen met amazing creatives along the way and grew her network, which provided her with opportunities to travel and work with a variety of clients to do what she loved to do the most. She was a nurse, a photographer, a caregiver, and a dreamcatcher.

Awaken your passions. In March 2017, Karen was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and underwent two surgeries to remove cancer from her uterus. One of the surgeries was a day after Mother's Day and this cancer took away her chance of becoming a mom. This moment did not signify defeat for Karen—rather it served as an awakening to tell her story and fuel her passions. She worked at the Reproductive Fertility Center in Irvine and Corona and dove deeper into photography. She said, "Photography has allowed me to create a better version of myself. It has taken me places I never thought I would see….allowed me to tell my story through the lens of my camera. So own your craft and feed it often because you never know where it might take you" (May 22, 2018). Karen seized this opportunity for a second chance at life and did not let a day go by doing something she was afraid of. For the next five years, she found the courage to transform herself and inspire those around her to live life to the fullest.

Be Courageous. In May 2022, just a week shy of crossing the five-year mark of being cancer-free, Karen was diagnosed with advanced-stage liver cancer that originated from her previous cancer. If you knew Karen, she was fearless. But having this diagnosis instilled a fear that she had never known before. She knew she couldn't run away from this and the only thing she could do is face it. So she fought. She fought so hard to live. Karen said, "I've learned to build strength and courage to face my fears one day at a time so that I won't be held back from living my life" (November 17, 2022). Despite battling cancer, Karen did not let that prevent her from continuing her life. During this time, Karen faced her fear of heights and skydived out of a plane, hiked Devils Ridge in Sedona, Arizona, and went camping in Anza Borrego. Karen had a fighting spirit and never gave up on herself.

Family first, always. Karen comes from a very tight-knit family and she valued putting her family first. She loved when all of her cousins would get together and celebrate all the milestones, holidays, and everything in between. She would do anything and everything for her family and friends and she made each and every one of us feel loved. She welcomed us with full embraces, jokes, and witty comments that would make you laugh. She would even airdrop a picture she took of you when you weren't looking. She was a pillar in our family and she will be missed terribly.

At the young age of 37, Karen Daus Capalaran transitioned on January 28, 2023, in Anaheim, CA, joining her Lolo Francisco and Lola Aurora Salazar Capalaran, Apongs Cornelius and Marcelina Daus, Uncle Robert Daus, Auntie Susan Capalaran, and cousin Manang Maricel Sudaria Daus.

Loved and adored so much by her family, Karen is survived by her mother, Vicfilamer Daus Capalaran, her father, Eduardo Capalaran, and her brother, Kenneth Daus Capalaran. Karen is survived by her Daus family members: Aunties and uncles, Virginia & Moreno, Jimmy & Nancy, Cornelius Jr. & Patricia, Ninida, and Dyna; her cousins aka her brothers and sisters, Froylan, Allan, Arlene & Roderick, Julie Anne & Mike, Mary Lou & Roger, Michelle, Michael, Mark, Kenneth, Christopher & Jeanell, Lauren, and Jeanelle; her nieces, nephews, and godchildren, Jaelyn, Amianan, Maleya, Melani, Razon, Malia, Rowan, Rylo, and Cristobal. Karen is survived by her Capalaran family members: Aunties, Zenaida, Nida, Elizabeth, Aida, and Amy; and cousins, Philip Martin, Patrick Lawrence, Michael, Michelle, Bjorn, Chrissie, Katrina, Korina, Gerald, Joshua, Pawina, Kent, and Lebron.

Leave a legacy is a motto that Karen lived by. Her last act of kindness was donating her cornea to someone in need. Although she is no longer with us in the physical form, Karen has left a legacy that will inspire us and generations to come. She has inspired all of us to love hard, have empathy towards ourselves and others, laugh often, dance like there is no tomorrow, sing your heart out, face your fears, be creative, have the courage to fight for what you believe in, and most of all, leave a legacy you will be proud of. Karen has left an imprint on this earth and in our hearts. May she live on through our work, our words, our memories, and our love.

Mabuhay, Karen Daus Capalaran.


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